Image Source: http://24.media.tumblr.com/397770de72a057d3300ccaffb8e0bc84/tumblr_meswwr8oc21rrfla6o1_500.jpgFor generations now, those who have had tattoos have been stereotyped and looked down on in society and most of all in the work place - especially those that have tattoos that are visible when wearing clothes. Today though, I ask the question, is this truly fair? Should a person really be judged by the way in which he or she wants her own body and skin to appear? Or is now the time, with a generation that lives amongst the digital society, where the whole world is connected by the click of a button, no image unable to be found, be it a sneezing panda or the hanging of murderous dictator, to stop the oppression of self-expression, and start finally taking people for who they truly are and not judging them by their appearance.
I think this will be my first point. Personal appearance and the workplace. Before you get me wrong, when I am talking about self-expression, I don’t mean that I think someone can just turn up for work un-washed and scruffy and expect to be treated equally to those who have taken time and effort and have great pride in their appearance. When I am talking about personal appearance I mean that I feel that it is a person’s personal duty to themselves to be as presentable as possible for going to work in the morning, for all kinds of work, not just those in an office, but be it bar work to manual labor. And obviously not all workplaces will be adequate for wearing an immaculate suit every day, but nothing is stopping you from getting up in the morning and washing your hair and body for the day ahead and (if male, or maybe a bit of a butch female) giving that untidy facial hair a quick tidy up before you leave the house. The point I am trying to make here though, especially for those who work in offices and professional environments (where it is known discrimination against tattoos is greatest), is it fair to not give someone the job who is equally qualified, if not more qualified, than the other person just because they have a passion for bodily art and have a few colourful pictures on their body? Personally I know that I would choose someone with tattoos over someone who was morbidly over weight, I mean we know who’s more likely to be getting to work on time if there Is a sale at the cake shop don’t we?! But seriously I just think that it’s time for a change, for people to start opening their minds and stop being afraid of things that they are not familiar with. Which brings me on to my next point, can the discrimination of those with tattoos be compared to religious discrimination?
I believe yes, it can be. I mean in my eyes there are at least 7 major world religions that exist today – and with me being openly a non-believer in religion I feel this clearly proves that none of them are true. And yes you can argue that religion is a belief, but ultimately, when it comes down to it, religion truly is a choice – and a personal one at that, much like the getting of a tattoo. So what makes this choice any different to the choice of colouring in your skin? I mean, if an employer was to not hire someone solely on the basis that they were wearing a turban or a Yakama, they would not only inevitably be fired if this was found out, but the company that they work for would be more than liable for a lawsuit. However, if it was due to the fact that someone had a visible tattoo, this would be a whole different story. Now seeing how clearly both of these scenarios are caused by a personal choice made by a person, not something they are born with (i.e the color of their skin or gender) this to me, is just not right.
Now we all know that a great association with tattoos is crime and violence and this is a prejudice that is greatly responsible for employers’ discrimination against those who are inked. My point is though, personally, if we are going by that, the means of association by which to discriminate, then how can an employer hire anyone? I mean I know I wouldn’t be seen in certain pubs in certain colours of clothing, never mind certain football teams tops on a game day (heck in some places just on any day) solely because of the football hooliganism that exists amongst our society today! But does this mean that employers don’t hire people because they watch football and support a football team? No. Because when it comes to this when someone with a First Class Honours degree walks into your interview you say to yourself ‘no, someone with an education and qualifications like this couldn’t and just wouldn’t be involved in that kind of crime and carry on even if they do say that they are an avid football fan’. But what makes them any different to the candidate with the same qualifications, same education standard, same beliefs as them, but who merely has a passion for tattoos. Does this pleasure for having some ink put in your body immediately mean that no matter what background you come from, or what you have done with your life so far, you must be a lower standard of human being who inevitably hangs around with low-lifes of society, constantly involved with crime, drugs, drinking and violence? The answer you are looking for is no, and the sooner that this is seen in the world, the faster we can progress on to focussing on matters that actually count towards our world and its future.
So, overall, I feel that my beliefs and views of tattoo’s in society have been made very clear here, and you may feel I am right or you may feel that I am wrong and that my views are not the same as yours – and if you do I really don’t mind – everyone has their own opinion. I just wanted to get this rant off of my chest, as it has been building for a while. That’s all for now,
#lovefromsteve
